Facts R Fun

[J. A.]

No one knows for sure why tennis points go 15 - 30 - 40 - 50, or why 0 is called "love".

 

[squib]

Scientists in Bonn, Germany, found out that plants feel pain and could possibly talk to each other. To hear anything, super-sensitive microphones were used. As long as a plant is healthy, a "bubbling" sound can be heard. Under threat, it's a piercing screech. A cucumber which is starting to go off produces a squealing sound.

When a piece of a plant has been cut off, and there is a heat photo taken, the full plant shows up! The part that was cut off is hazy but still viewable! It is like a phantom limb for plants too! Of course, as you said, they used very super sensitive equipment!
They have also heard plants emitting a high screeching sound when they feel pain!
Love this fact, Johanna! Thanks for reminding me!


Peace begins with a smile
- Mother Teresa.
iPad 2

 

[abababababab]

The North Magnetic Pole, once located over Canada, is now in the Arctic Ocean and is slowly moving towards Russia.

 

[J. A.]

North and South Magnetic Pole are not antipodal. They are also known as Magnetic Dip Poles.

 

[J. A.]

Our current northernmost star is the brightest star in Ursa Minor (Cynosura), now known as Polaris. In about 14 000 years, it will be Vega in the constellation Lyra.

 

[J. A.]

Astronomers have found a cloud of alcohol, almost 300 billion miles across, surrounding a stellar nursery. It consists of methanol, so even if it's possible to reach it, you wouldn't want to drink it.

 

[J. A.]

Since Ireland became an independent republic in 1944, only one person has been killed by armed police. Usually, policemen don't carry weapons, because violent crime almost is non-existent.

 

[abababababab]

During sleep, fluid in the body tends to pool in low-lying areas, which is why most of us wake up with noticeable bags under our eyes.

 

[J. A.]

In French, there are 13 ways to spell the sound "o".

 

[J. A.]

There's an (unofficial) Big Ben Twitter account that posted BONG every hour (and adds a BONG every hour) until August last year.

 

[J. A.]

In Australia, two planes collided in the air in September 1940. They remained locked together after the collision and landed safely. All the crewmen survived. The upper plane was repaired and able to fly again.

Wikipedia

 

[twerppoet]

The Death Valley in the Mojave Desert, Eastern California, is the lowest, driest and hottest place in North America.

In the Racetrack Playa region, the rocks travel 'uphill' and no one knows why, even though some scientists are very close to the deciphering of this mysterious situation.

View attachment 59573

Oh well. One mystery less in the world.

Mystery solved: The sailing stones of Death Valley

 

[J. A.]

A Dutch designer, Daan Roosegaarde, has worked with the State University of New York to create glow-in-the-dark trees, hoping to use them instead of street lights.

 

[abababababab]

While Antarctica is very cold, it's not all ice and snow. About 1,200 square miles of the continent are made up of "dry valleys" where mountains and ridges keep out any precipitation.

 

[J. A.]

Tashirojima Island, a Japanese island, is mostly known as Cat Island, because of the large population of stray cats. Only 100 people are living there.